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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · track · court · swing · nail · plane · file · ruler

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. court — of a king
  3. file — a tool
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. track — to keep track
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. file — a line of people
  10. court — for sport
  11. plane — a tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. swing — to play on
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — a path
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. track — a song
  20. file — a document
  21. swing — music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. court — of law
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com